The Desire for Media Studies

When I was still halfway through my second year, I was fiercely bent on taking up the Journalism Track because I believed it was my dream. At that time, I had all the reasons to turn down the other Communication Tracks (Advertising and Public Relations, Image and Sound Production, Film and Media Studies) simply because I said so. My Communication Seminar (COM100) teacher, however, changed things when he taught the class with a critical perspective. I could never forget the geekgasmic moments I have to endure because every CommSem day was an avenue of something new. Never will walk from that class without knowing a new caveat.

That is why when I declared my track, I vowed to myself that I will be a Media Studies person as well.

Then, my COM100 teacher released an ad for his "Media and Society" class. We all had fun in his class and I want to live it all over again. So I immediately signified my intention to take it - which he took very positively.

Due to logistical reasons, however, I ended up taking my Journ classes all in one sem. And though my teacher wouldn't admit it, I know that he was somehow expecting his old students to cram in his class.

And I feel bad about it - because I felt that I ditched him for another hottie.

Although I'm not exactly regretting what I did (my Journ electives are so full of action, by the way), the fact that I may have left my teacher hanging in the air is what bothers me.

Yep, ganoon ko siya tinitingala.

But I don't know, I can't really tell. Sometimes, I feel that when I run into him, it's as if he didn't become my teacher (or I became his student). Parang noncommitted ang hi-hello namin. For the sake of everything. But I can't blame him, either - we're too much of a busybee to even be absorbed to those things.

But academic-wise, teachers have no direct power over our research interests, among others. And I'm glad that his approach to this is very professional and academic. I know of some teachers who would flare up to the thought of dropping the class because of interest incompatibility. And I think that's sad.

So much as I find intense action brewing in my journalism classes, there will always be a part of me that yearns for media studies - the study of people, ideology, representation, and how the media affects every aspect of daily life.

I will really pursue my Media Studies dream.